Natural disasters cost a record-shattering $306 billion in 2017

The string of devastating hurricanes and wildfires across the United States in 2017 cost the country $306 billion in damages, a record-breaking number, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports.

Key stat: In 2017, there were 16 separate disaster events that topped $1 billion in damages. And these 16 events — which included storms, wildfires, droughts and freezes — killed 362 people.

The numbers, per NOAA:

A total of 219 natural disasters have cost the U.S. $1.5 trillion since 1980.

The average number of events costing $1 billion or more from 1980 to 2017 is 5.8. That number rises to 11.6 when considering the period 2013 to 2017.

Before 2017, 2005 — when Hurricane Katrina struck — held the record for costliest year. Natural disasters caused $215 billion in damages in 2005.

Protesters gather north of Lafayette Square near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality, in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been rallying in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events on Saturday.